Traction-engine.



0. C. HOUGHTON.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED ram/6,1915.

Patented June 13, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

UN QNR INVENTOR: UFLEY C. HOUGHTOZV,

W ATTORNEYS. 5

WI TN SSES M FM 1% O. C. HOUGHTON.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, I915. 1,187A29. Patented June 13, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR. WITNESSES M fI K OJC. H OUGHTON.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY6,1915.

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9, a mu m w m 1 RUVQNPN hit TED STATES PATENT FFKE ORLEY C. HOUGHTON',OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 BULLOCK TRACTOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

menace.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jane is, rare.

Application filed Ma y 6, 1915. Serial No. 26,343.

T 0 all Whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORLEY C. HOUGHTON, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,(whose post-office address is at Nos. 1801-1825 Diversey Parkway,Chicago, Illinois,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraction-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following descriptionof my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheetsof drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which willenableothers skilled in the art to which my said invention appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention has general reference to traction engines, and it isespecially directed to novel and peculiar means for steering the machineby a multiplicity of steering devices.

The object of this invention is the production of a traction engine thatshall be comparatively simple in construction; that can be readilyoperated by a single attendant; that shall be capable of turning withina very confined space, and that can be manufactured and sold at acomparatively low price.

To attain these desirable objects I construct this tractor in thepreferred embodiment of my invention, substantially as shown in thedrawings already mentioned, in which 1 Figure 1 is'a side-elevation ofthe machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, a portion of the drivingmechanism being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a front-elevationof part of the steering mechanism. Fig. 4 is a side-elevation of thesame, and Fig. 5 is a detail View of one of the slotted arms employed inthis device, the latter figure being drawn on a slightly increasedscale. Fig. 6 is a detail view' of the resilient detent. Fig. 7 is afront-elevation of a modified form of the auxiliary means for engagingand disengaging the clutch mechanism.

Like parts are designated by the same characters and symbols ofreference in all the figures.

The essential features of this tractor are embodied in an applicationfor Letters Patent of the United States filed by me on the 8th day ofJanuary, 1915, Serial No. 1205 of 1915, to which reference may be hadfor a full disclosure of the construction and operation of this machine.For the purpose of this present application I shall, therefore,described only briefly this portion of the machine, but specifically thenovel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction,which are embraced in this present application, and are pointed out inthe subjoined claims.

A in the drawings designates the frame or chassis of this machine whichframe is, preferably, constructed of two Ibeams, 12, 13,.

which are connected at their forward ends by a substantial casting 14,transversely disposed and having medially punctured-lugs 15, wherebyconnection may be established with any vehicle or implement for towingor pushing purposes. At the rear'extremities the two I-beams 12, 13, areconnected by :1, preferably, channel bar 16; and upon these I-beams atsaid rear end there is located a platform 17.

Medially upon the I-beams there is mounted a, preferably, internalcombustion motor B of any approved design, but preferably of the twoopposed cylinder type, whose crank-shaft 23, is located between theopposing cylinders and which traverses the frame A and extendsconsiderably beyond the two sides thereof. This engine or motor issupplied with a water tank C, a cooler, or condenser, D, and a fuel tankE, all located at the forward end of the frame A and properly piped tothe motor in any approved manner. This main frame with its motorandother appurtenants mentioned, is mounted on two trucks F, G, each ofwhich is fitted with an endless track band on which the tractor moves,said track bands being operatively connected to the motor B bytransmission and friction gearing H, all as fully described in theparent application heretofore cited.

In this device as therein described the handlevers 61, (31 that move theclutch members 57, 57, longitudinally on the crank shaft 23, to connectand disconnect the entire transmission and traction mechanisms from themotor, are the only means to perform this function, which requires bothhands of the operator to accomplish this result. lit is, however,desirable, and frequently necessary that the operator has at least onehand for steering; and to accomplish this object 1 construct and placeon the tractor the following mechanism; 1, designates a stand arderected at the rear end of the tractor on the platform 17. This standardincludes two members, 18, 19, each of which has a bearing 20, at itsupper extremity, wherein. is rotatably mounted a shaft 21. At the rearend, this shaft carries a hand-wheel J; and at its front extremity thereis mounted a rocking arm K, -which is constructed to swing in a gap 22,formed in the forward flank of the member 19. This rocking arm J has atits extremities studs 24:, on which there are mounted rollers 25. At theend of the gap 22 there is secured transversely, an angle-bar 26; and atthe base of the member 19 there is another transverse bar 27. Thislatterbar has, in spaced relation, corresponding to the lineal distancebetween the centers of the studs 2th on the rocking arm K, two studs 28,on each of which there is oscillatably mounted an arm L, the upper endof which is provided with a groove29, constructed to receive the roller25. v

There is projecting from adjacent the upper end of each arm L apunctured lug 30, wherewith one end of a connecting rod 31 engages, theother .end of said connecting rod being pivotally connected to thehandlever 61. In front of the upper angle bar 26 and in front of the twoarms L, there is located a bar 37, secured to the angle bar 26, bystud-bolts 38, which bar, in conjunction with the angle-bar 26, servesto guide the two arms L adjacent to their upper ends.

Adjacent to the shaft bearing 20 on the rear member 18 of the standardI, there is located a resilient detent 32, shown in detail in Fig. 6.lhis detent has a notch 33,

and adjacent this notch there are inclined planes 34, said notch 33being constructed to engage one of thespokes 35, Fig. 4, of saidhand-wheel J, and to retain said handwheel-in normal position. lhisnormal position is'illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, wherein the rockingarmK ishorizontally disposed and the two rollers 25 thereon just clearof the upper extremities" of the arms L. In

- this normal position the two hand-levers 61,

61*, may be manipulated to cause the disengagement of the clutches onthe crank shaft, which is necessary when starting the motor to relieveit from its load, and after starting the motor to engage the clutches toconnect he motor to the transmission and the endless traclr bands. W henthus connected, the upstanding arms L, which, while the hand levers 61,61 are being manipulated move with said hand-ievers,have returned. totheir normai position sothat-if now the handwheel J is rotated in eitherdirection from its normai position, the ionding roller 25 on the rockenter the groove 29 of the 1 ".Ilii eve the clutch operating mechanismapplied to two function, and in this case I modify my deinvention asdefined in the subjoined claims.

It will thus be observed that by rotating this hand-wheel as described,one or the other of the endless track bands is caused to slacken itsmovement and that thereby, the direction of movement of the tractor tothe right or the left, is entirely controlled by said hand-wheel, to theexclusion of the hand-levers, which are thus only employed when startingand stopping the motor.

The manipulation of the hand-wheel J requires but one hand of theoperator, leaving his other hand to manipulate one or the other of thehand-levers 48, 48, Figs. 1 and 2, by which the movements of the endlesstrack-bands are reversed, as fully described in my co-pendingapplication #1,205 of 1915. i

It will be further noticed that this construction as described, embodiestwo entirely independent means for steering the tractor, and that,therefore, there is only a very remote possibility of the tractor beingever .incapacitated owing to failure of its steering mechanism toproperly perform its function.

I have heretofore shown and described the independently operatingdevices for connecting the motor to the endless track bands. In sometraction engines there is, however, but one clutch mechanism to performthis vice as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7, 2'. 6., I shall use but oneupstanding arm L, and provide the rocking arm K with but one memberengaging the upstanding arm and connect this latter arm to thehand-lever- 61; or where two hand levers are employed, to both of thesehand-levers, as shown in Fig. 7. I have hereinbefore described thepreferred embodiment of my said invention but I desire it to beundcrstoodthat I am well aware of the fact that many changes in thedetails of construction and the peculiar combination of parts as shown,may be made without departing from the scope of my said Having thusfully described this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure tomyself by Letters Patent of the United States 1. in a motor vehicle, thecombination of a chassis, a motor mounted on said chassis, a truck ateach side of said chassis, traction means on each of said trucks, two,independently operable sets of transmission gearing connected to said,motor, one set of said transmission gearing being connected to one ofsaid traction and the otherset being connected to the other of said.tractwo independently operable constructed to and dis- 130 engage saidtransmission gearings from said motor, and auxiliary means connected tothe independently operable mechanisms, constructed to actuate one or theother of said independently operable means, but not both of said lattermeans at the same time.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination, of a chassis, a motor mounted onsaid chassis, a truck at each side of said chassis, traction means oneach of said trucks, two independently operable sets of transmissiongearing connected to said motor, one set of said transmission gearingbeing connected to one of said traction means, and the other set beingconnected to the other of said traction means, two independentlyoperable mechanisms constructed to engage and disengage saidtransmission gearings from said motor, and auxiliary means connected tothe independently operable mechanisms constructed to actuate one or theother of said independently operable means, said auxiliary meansincluding a standard, a shaft rotatably mounted on said standard, ahand-Wheel at one extremity of said shaft, a rocking arm at the otherend of said shaft, a pair of upstanding arms constructed to connect tosaid rocking arm and means constructed to connect said upstanding armsto the two independently operable mechanisms.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination, of a chassis, a motor mounted onsaid chassis, traction means on each side of said chassis, twoindependently operable sets of transmission gearings connected tosaidtraction means, said transmission gearing including a friction clutchmechanism for each set of transmission gearings, ahand-lever for eachfriction clutch constructed to engage and disengage said friction clutchindependently of the other of said friction clutches, and auxiliarymeans connected to said handlevers constructed to operate one or theother of said hand-levers.

4. In a motor vehicle, a chassis, a motor on said chassis, atransmission shaft connected to said motor, a friction clutch deviceadjacent to the ends of said transmission shaft, a hand-lever for eachfriction clutch device, constructed to engage and disengage itsrespective friction clutch device, and auxiliary mechanism connected tothe two hand-- levers and constructed to operate one or the other ofsaid hand levers, but not both hand levers at the same time.

5. In a, motor vehicle, a chassis, a motor on said chassis, atransmission shaft connected to said motor, a friction clutch deviceadjacent to the ends of said transmission shaft, and means constructedto engage and disengage said friction clutch devices, said latter meansincluding a standard, an oscillatable shaft mounted on said standard,means constructed to actuate said shaft, a rocking arm on said shafthaving two members, two upstanding arms in spaced relation, pivoted atone end to said standard, means on said upstanding arms constructed toengage the two members of said rocking arm, and mechanism constructed toconnect one of said upstanding arms to one of said friction clutchdevices, and the other of said upstanding arms to the other of saidfriction clutch devices.

6. In a motor vehicle, a chassis, a motor mounted on said chassis, atransmission shaft connected to said motor, a friction clutch device onsaid transmission shaft, and means constructed to engage and disengagesaid friction clutch device from said transmission shaft, said lattermeans including a standard, a shaft rotatably mounted on said standard,means constructed to actuate said shaft, a rocking arm on said shaft, anupstanding arm pivoted at one end to said standard, means on saidupstanding ,arm constructed to connect with said rocking arm, andmechanism constructed to connect said rocking arm to said frictionclutch device.

7. In a motor vehicle, a chassis, a motor mounted on said chassis, atransmission shaft. connected to said motor, a friction clutch device onsaid transmission shaft, means constructed to engage and disengage saidfriction clutch device from said transmission shaft, said latter meansincluding a standard, a shaft rotatably mounted on saidstandard, meansconstructed to actuate said shaft, a rocking arm on said shaft, anupstanding arm pivoted at one end to said standard, means on saidupstanding arm constructed to connect said arm to said rocking arm, andmeans constructed to retain said rocking arm in normal position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have hereuntoset my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ORLEY C. HOUGHTON.

Witnesses I Mrcnann J. STARK, J. M. HEDLUND.

